Circuit Attorney News & Updates

Heroin has killed hundreds of people in St. Louis over the years. But that didn't stop convicted drug dealer Marlon Hemphill from carrying over $1,000 worth of the deadly substance.

In June of 2013, police tried pulling over a car during a traffic stop in north St. Louis when the driver fled from police. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Aviation Unit spotted the vehicle from overhead and followed it to the 2300 block of Michigan Avenue in the Tower Grove East neighborhood.

That's when Hemphill jumped out of the car and took off running. Police officers watched as he threw a bag of heroin on the ground and continued to try to evade arrest. Hemphill was arrested and charged with drug possession and resisting arrest.

Assistant Circuit Attorney Jack Coatar presented the evidence to the jury last week, including the roughly 130 capsules of heroin recovered from the scene, packaged in several separate baggies. An officer testified that the 18 grams of heroin would have an approximate street value of over $1,000. A St. Louis jury found Hemphill guilty of the crimes.

Hemphill has previously been convicted of drug dealing in St. Louis County. He also has two prior convictions for unlawful use of a weapon.

He is set to be sentenced on December 5th.

A co-defendant in the case, Marquise Elliot, has already pleaded guilty to felony fleeing.